Local wrestlers reach state semifinals

By Brian Hunsicker

Published: February 22, 2008

CHESAPEAKE — As one area upperweight made a surprising run to the Group AAA semifinals, another was undone by a controversial call.

Osbourn 171-pounder Bobby Gray was all smiles after a six-point win in the quarterfinals. The senior was the No. 4 qualifier out of the Northwest Region, but knocked off Central Region champ Dallas Brummel of Hanover in the first round before beating Kellam’s Dalton Parker.

On Stephen Young’s face, there was a scowl. The Gar-Field heavyweight gave up an escape and was called for stalling — his second warning — giving T.C. Williams’ Quintas McCorkle all the points he needed in a 2-1 win.

When Young chose down to start the second period, McCorkle elected to give him the automatic escape and a 1-0 lead. The score held for much of the period, though both wrestlers came close to earning a takedown. With 38 seconds remaining, Young was called for stalling, tying the match.

Indians coach Rick Seipp disagreed with the call and argued in vain after the period ended. With McCorkle down to start the third, he managed to wiggle free to take a 2-1 lead and held off Young’s final attempts at a takedown.

“The referee dictated that match,” Seipp said afterward.

Young’s loss set up a consolation bout against South County’s Milton Weatherhead, which ended too late for publication.

Gray, meanwhile, was ahead throughout his match against Parker, adding a late takedown to cap the victory. He was the only Eagle to survive the first two rounds.

“Getting to the state tournament for the first time gave me an extra drive to do as good as I can,” Gray said, “because it’s my last week of wrestling. I’m never going to stand on a high school wrestling mat again, so it feels pretty good.”

Joining Gray in the 171-pound semis is the Indians’ Porker Bowers, who won by pin in the first round and upset Eastern Region champion Allan Clamp of Great Bridge in the quarterfinals. Like Gray, Bowers built a lead and made it stick: After a scoreless first period, Bowers scored quickly in the second with three nearfall points, setting him on the way to an 8-1 win.

“I hit that move on 90 percent of my [opponents],” Bowers said. “I pin most of my guys with it. I’m just real good with that tilt. I figured I’ll try it, what the heck, so it kind of worked. Once I got that, it kind of coasted there for me, it got a lot easier.”

Three of the four semifinalists at 103 pounds come from the Northwest Region, including Battlefield’s Beau Martino and Forest Park’s Stephen Hinton, who faces Fauquier’s Ryan Hunsberger in today’s semifinals.

Hinton took advantage when Henrico’s Charlie Lipford fell out of position, turning Lipford’s shoulders for a quick, 50-second pin.

“He got out of position and I just countered it,” Hinton said. “I wasn’t really looking for it. He just happened to go to it.”

Martino scored major decisions in both of his matches: a 9-0 win over Bayside’s Marcelle McCabe in the opening round and a 10-2 win over Hanover’s Spencer Alexander in the quarterfinals.

Two other area wrestlers — Forest Park 125-pounder Silvio Ramirez and Woodbridge 152-pounder Jesus Lagares — won in the opening round but lost in the quarterfinals.